Apparatus for drying skins



A. H. SCHMIDT APPARATUS FOR DRYING SKINS Nov. l1 1924.,

A. H. SCHMIDT APPARATUS FOR DRYING SKINS Filed Feb. 6 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Patented Nov. 11,1924.

ALBERT H. SCHMIDT, OF DETROIT, MICHIG-A.

APPARATUS `FOR DRYING- SKINS.

Application iled February 6, 1923. Serial No. 617,296.

To all lwhom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroitin the county Yof Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented cer.

tain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Skins, of which the following is a specication, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to drying apparatus and refers more particularly I to apparatus for drying hides and skins for leather purposes.

An object! of the invention is to provide a sim le and eiicient apparatus which is provi ed with stationary supports for the hides and skins and which is also provided with means for effecting a flow of air overv the skins andA hides to dry the same.

Another object is to provide means for controlling the sup ly ofair to the stationary supports where y the time required for drying the hides or skins may be regulated. Another object is to provide eective means for heating the air used ffor drying the hides or skins.

Another object is to provide simple means for regulating the supply of the heating medium so that the temperature of the air may be easily regulated. s

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain vnovel features of construction, combination and arrangementof parts I as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. f

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ap` igure 2 is a top plan view thereof with-A out the. frames;

Figure 3 isa sectionalview taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2;:

Figure 4- is -an end. elevation with 'parts' removed;

Figure 5 is afragmentary perspective view of one of the cabinets;l

Figure 6 is a sectional view through a slightly modified form of construction;

Figure 7 is an enlarged topplan view of a portion of the apparatus shown'in Figure 2 with the frames in position. With certain apparatus now in use the frames for stretching the skinsl and hides are placed upon carriers which travel used for drying through tunnels. Heated air is usually supplied to the tunnels and the temperature of the air is regulated so that it is lower at the entrance of the tunnel than atthe opposite` end. However, with such constructions it is quite expensive to install the necessary tunnels and carriers so that the desired results can be obtained. It has also been found that the frames for the skins are apt to move upon the carriers due to jars, etc., and often catch on some part of the tunnel with the result that the entire operation has to be temporarily stopped. With the present invention all of the objec- -tionable features referredto `are entirely overcome and the hides and skins are preferably supported upon frames which are provided .with means for fstretching the same and which arer supported upon stationaryrunners. Air is preferably drawn through suitable cabinets at the ends of the runners and is forced between the latter and over the skins 4and hides. The air the skins and hides is preferably heated and while anyI suitable heating means might be employed it is preferably heated by means of a plurality of coils containing steam.

. Referring now* tov the drawings in which like'characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 'l designates a pair of relatively long parallel runners resting upon a suitable floor 2 and extending between a pair of upright cabinets 3. Each runner preferably consists of a. pair of parallel horizontal stringers 4 which are spaced apart -by means of uprights 5. Panels 6 are secured to the stringers throughout their length and close the space between the uprights. The floor 2'cooperates with the runners 'to form a trough which receives the air that is discharged from.' the cabinets. If desired, a suitable bottom .7 may be secured to the runners and the latter may be spaced from the floor.

The `cabinets are preferably open at their upper ends and the inner walls 8 thereof are Apreferably providedwith openings 9 wh'ich are in communication with the ends ofthe trough. Suitable covers 10 are refyerably hinged .to thecabinets and are a apt- `ed to close the open ends thereof, while .toothed arms '11 are also pivoted to the upvper ends of the cabinets and are adapted to retain the covers in various positions of anloo shown'in Figure 1.

' As shown, each frame the trough. These the other cabinet.

gular adjustment so as to .regulate the amount of air admitted tothe cabinets,

Suitable fans 12 are located within the cabinets at the lower ends thereof and are adapted to draw air from the atmosphere in-to the cabinets and to discharge it into fans are preferably mounted on shafts 13 which are journaled in brackets 14: secured to the inner walls of the cabinets. The shafts preferably extend outwardly from the cabinets and are journaled in bearings 15 secured to frames 16 which rest upon the floor and which are secured to the outer walls 17 of the cabinets. Pulleys 18 are fixed to the shafts 13 and are adapted to be driven by means of suitable endless belts 19 which are trained overl suitable drive pulleys (not shown). Idler pulleys 20 are also loosely mounted on the shafts 13 and are adapted to receive the belts when it is desired to stop the operation of the fans. Forks 21 are pivoted to the frames 16 and are adapted to shift the belts from the idler pulleys to the drive pulleys or vice versa. A

A suitable frame 22 is removably secured to horizontal cross-bars 23 within the cabinets at the upper ends thereof and supports a plurality of coils 24 of a pipe 25 which is adapted to be supplied with steam from a suitable source (not shown) to heat the air drawn through the top of the cabinets by means of the fans.

Valves 26 are located in the pipes 25 and may be operated by suitable handles 27 for controlling the passage of steam through the coils.`

In use, a plurality of frames 28 for stretching the hides and skins are preferably placed in groups upon the trough as One group of frames preferably inclines toward one of the cabinets while the other group inclines toward The space between the groups is closed by means of a suitable door 29 so as to prevent the escape of air from the trough. The frames-28 are preferably constructed similar to the frame illustrated in my United States Patent #1,320,100, which was issued to me October 28,1919.

is preferably provided with parallel end bars 30\which are secured to opposite sides of parallel side bars l31 so that when the frames are placed upon the trough as shown in Figure 1 the end bars of the/frames will contact with each other, while the panel sections 32 of the frames upon which the skins are mounted, will be spaced apart. Thus air discharged from the cabinets into the trou h will be forced upwardly upon opposite si es of the panel sections, but will not be pernitted to pass outwardly between the end ars. It will be noted that the fans extend above the trough and that the openings 9 in the inner walls of the cabinets also extend above the trough while suitable hoods 33, having inclined walls 34:, are secured to the inner Walls of the cabinets and cover the portions of the openings which extendabove the trough, Thus the full amount of the air discharged from the fans is forced into the troughs at the ends thereof and in view of the factY the only exit for the air in the trough is through the frames, the air will be forced upwardly over the skins and hides and will eectively dry the same.

Either or both fans may be operated as desired by merely adjusting the belts upon the pulleys by means of the 'shifter forks. While the amount of air may be readily regulated by adjusting the toothed arms 11, at the top of the cabinets, the temperature of theair may be regulated by merely adjusting the valves.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a drying apparatus, the'combination with stationary means for holding the article to be dried, of a trough for supporting said stationary means, and means for effecting a iow of air through said trough and over the article to dry the same.

2. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides, the combination with means for holding a skin or hide, of a stationary support for said holding means, said support having a channel therein and means for effecting a flow of air through said channel and over said skin or hide to dry the same.

3. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides, the combination with a plurality of frames, and means for securing skins or hides thereto, of a pair of runners for supporting said frames, and means for forcing air between said runners to dry the skins or hides on said frames.

4. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides, the combination with a plurality of frames, and means for securing skins or hides thereto, of a trough for supporting said frames, and means for discharging air into said trough to dry the skins or vhides on said frame.

5. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides, the combination with a plurality of frames, and means for securing skins or hides thereto, of a trough for supporting said frames, and meansfor forcing air into said trough and through said frames to dry the skins or hides.

.6. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides, the combination with a plurality of hides thereto, of a trough for supporting said frames, a cabinet at one end of said trough, means for drawing air into said cabinet and for discharging it into said trough to dry the skins or hides on said frame, and means within said cabinet for heating the air. Y

8. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides, the combination with a plurality of frames, and means for securing skins or hides thereto, of a 'trough for supporting said frames, cabinets at the ends of said trough, and means for drawing air into said cabinets and for discharging it into said trough for drying the skins and hides on said frames.

9. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides, the combination with a plurality of frames, and means for securing skins or hides thereto, of a. trough for supporting said frames, cabinets at the ends of said trough, means for drawing air into said cabinets and for discharging it into said trough for drying the skins and hides on said frames, and means for controlling the. 'operation of the means aforesaid.

10. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides, the combination with a plurality of frames, and means for securing skins or hides thereto, of a trough for supporting said frames, cabinets at the ends of said trough, means for drawing air into said cabinets and for discharging it into said trough for drying the skins and hides on 'said frames, and means for regulating the quantity of air drawn into said cabinets.

11. In an `apparatus for drying skins-and hides, the combination witha plurality of frames, and means forsecuring skins or hides thereto, of a trough for supporting said frames, cabinets at the ends of said trough, means for drawing air into said cabinets and for dischar ing it into said trough for .drying the skins and hides on said frames, and means for heating the air before it is discharged into said trough. J 12. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides.l the combination with a plurality-offrames, and means for securing skins or hides thereto, of a trough for supporting said frames, a cabinet at one end of said trough to dry the skins or `whides on said frames, and means for regulating the quantity of air drawn into said cabinet.

13. In an apparatus for drying skins or hides, the combination with a plurality of frames, and means for securing skins or hides thereto, of a support for said frames, a cabinet at one end of said support, means for drawing air into said cabinet, and coils within said cabinet and containing a heating medium for heating the air in said cabinet, the means aforesaid being also adapted to discharge the heated air into said support to dry the skins and hides on said frames.

14. In ari-apparatus for drying skins or hides, the combination with a plurality of frames, and vmeans for securing skins or hides thereto, of a support for said frames, a cabinet at one end ofsaid support, means for. drawing air into said cabinet, coilsA within said cabinet and containinga heating medium for vheating the air in sald cabinet, the means aforesaid being also adapted to discharge the heated air into said support to dry the skins and hides on said frames, and means for .controlling the supply of heated medium to said coils to regulate the temperature of the air' discharged into said support.

15. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides, the combination with a plurality of frames, and means for .securing skins or hides thereto, of a trough ,for slpporting said frames, a cabinetat one end of said trough, said cabinet being open at one end, means for drawing air into said cabinet through the open end thereofand discharging it into said trough to dry the skins and hides on said frames, a cover for the open end of said cabinet, and means for retaining said cover in adjusted position to regulate the quantity of air drawn into said cabmet.

16. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides, the combination with a plurality of frames, and means for securing skins orv hides thereto, of a trough for supporting said frames, a cabinet in -communicatlon with one end of said trough, and a fan for drawing air into said cabinet and for discharging it into said trough to dry the skins or hides on said frames.

17. In an apparatusfor drying skins and hides, 1 the combination with a plurality of frames, and means for securing skins or hides thereto, of a trough for supporting i said frames, a cabinet in communication with one end of said trough, a fan for drawing air into said cabinet and for discharging it into said trough to dry the skins or hides on said frames, and means for controlling the operation of said fan.

18. In an apparatus for drying skins and hides, the combination with means for holding a skin or hide, of a stationary support for said holding means, and means for introducing heated air into said support beneath said holdingY means to dry said skin or hide.

19. In an apparatus for drying skins and,- hides, the combination With a plurality of frames, and means for securing skins or hides thereto,

of a trough for supporting hides,

10 frames,

hides t the combination With a plurality of l and means for securing the skins or hereto, of a trough for supporting said frames, a cabinet at one end of said trough, means fordrawing air into saidcabinet and discharge the same into said trough for drying the skins and hides on said frames, and an adjustable ooyer for said cabinet adapted to regulate the quantity of air drawn into said cabinet.

In testimony whereof I ax my si ature.

' ALBERT H. SCH IDT. Witness:

HENRY A; GRETTENBERGER, Jr. 

